We have some exciting news to report from the driest region of the driest state! Over the past five days we've recorded a wonderful 48.2mm of beautiful widespread soaking summer rain.

That's not a lot of rain if you're from the coast or the tropics and not enough to flow the creeks and fill the salt lakes. But definitely enough to cool things down and create some big puddles along the creeks and in the clay pans.

We are already seeing some fresh shoots on the trees and a small tinge of green across the red ground (and no dust)!

We've heard the one and only frog species (a burrowing frog of course) and the chiming wedgebills are calling again.

To put this event into context, Bon Bon Station Reserve has an average annual rainfall of just 150mm with no particular trend to summer or winter dominance. To get a fall of more than 20 mm at any time of year is a bonus, because for any month of the year it's not unusual to record zero. So this rain represents about a third of our annual rainfall.

The last three years have been on the average or below with the majority of rain falling in autumn and winter which of course is great and allows for plenty of plant growth and spring wildflowers, but for the last two summers there was barely a drop from July through to February - that's a long haul after many long, hot and often windy days.

In January 2014 we also experienced some record high temperatures with the mercury pushing well up into the high 40s, making this the hottest area in Australia for many days in a row.

We're looking forward to seeing the transformation from a dry, dusty landscape to a fresh green vista of plants and native grasses (with a little less heat).

This will also mean that our major weed, buffel grass, will spring into life as it favours summer growing conditions. But we're already testing the spraying gear, ready for a renewed attack!

Fresh growth. Photo Julia Harris.

Precious rainwater. Another water tank in place just in time for the rain (thanks Jord Environment Trust)! Photo by Julia Harris.